Clovis Online Teacher

Working at the Clovis Online School, Part 5

2011-06-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

With my last post about working at the Clovis Online School, I wanted to talk about course management software. As a master's student at Cal Poly Pomona in Educational Multimedia and as a teaching credential student at Fresno State, I have experienced Blackboard on the student end, but not the instructor end. As a teacher at the Clovis Online School, I have used Moodle on the instructor end. This experience has helped to create student-centered lessons and activities as I have experienced both ends of course management software. It would be even more beneficial if I had the chance to experience the student end in Moodle and the instructor end in Blackboard. To experience a whole class would be the most beneficial.

Both Blackboard and Moodle have much to offer in both aspects. Both these management systems have various functions to be utilized by instructors to develop engaging and constructive classes. I would like to learn more about Moodle's learning capacities to develop stronger classes at my current position as an online high school graphic design and technology instructor. My master's thesis project will be focused on building more student-centered, constructive courses at the high school level and beyond.

Thank you for reading my blog and stay tunes for more posts in the near future!!!

Working at the Clovis Online School, Part 4

2011-05-31T19:33:00.001-07:00

As we are close to ending our second year as a fully-functional online high school, I wanted to reflect on an important new addition that was made to the Clovis Online School in the 2010-2011 school year. We had somewhat of a computer lab in our inaugural year, but it was in the back of our main office. There were many students looking for assistance in completing assignments for their classes on the technical side. Most of the assignments that students complete have to be uploaded to our Moodle page. Some students have issues with this technology and other related problems. If students have problems with content, they are directed to their teachers for solutions. Also, there are school laptops available for students to work on assignments. Some students do not have sufficient computers to use at home and they have access to reliable computers in the lab.

This school year, our school opened a room to be used as a computer lab. We also hired a person to supervise students and make sure they keep on task. The hours are listed above on the computer to the left. This was successful as it was utilized all year long and gave students a chance to stay on top of work, catch up or excel on their assignments. I am sure it will used again next year as an aid for student success. Til' next post!

Working at the Clovis Online School, Part 3

2011-05-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

As we are about to finish our second full school year in existence, there are questions about what course management system we are going to maintain for next school year. I have heard comments that we will upgrade to the newest Moodle Version 2.1. I have also heard that we may simplify to another less-detailed system. This summer proves to be a crucial time for our school as we transition to new school management and possibly a whole new course management system. My master's thesis project was going to focus on creating multimedia rich courses for my current subjects of Computer Technology and Graphic Design to aid student retention using Moodle as well as PBworks.com. If the course management system changes at our school, my project focus will have to change also. We have used the Moodle-PB Works system since our inception in 2009 at Clovis Online School, and for my project I was going to expand on the current technology after reviewing scholarly articles on how to create online courses best suited to aid student retention. The future is unknown currently at the school, but I know either way I will develop a project to better serve my students as well as serving the educational community. Til' next post!

Working at the Clovis Online School, Part 2

2011-05-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

Recruitment for the Clovis Online School comes from many different avenues. Students that may have not done well at other institutions, may want to try an online environment. Counselors from traditional high schools in the local district may refer students that need a change of pace. Community events that provide space for promotion has helped get the name out and reach out to students and parents.
Marketing for the school is crucial and has been cut due to budget concerns. The 2011-2012 school year will mark the third year of existence for the school. The school started during the recession in 2009 and continues to gain steam. A new direction in administration will be implemented after the 2010-2011 school year comes to a close . Founder and Principal, Rob Darrow is retiring from K-12 education to pursue other educational endeavors. This will be a crucial time for the Clovis Online School. What will be the new marketing plan to recruit more students? Will it change? I hope to know the answer to this soon. Stay tuned for Part 3...

Working at the Clovis Online School, Part 1

2011-05-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

I have worked in an online high school environment for the last 2 school years at the Clovis Online School based in Clovis (Central California). The school opened up in August 2009 with about 50 students enrolled. I was hired as a part-time computer applications/technology teacher. In 2009, we only offered courses to 9th and 10th graders with a goal of offering courses for 9th-12th grade the following year (which was successful). The first year was crucial for the school as we as teachers had to learn to teach effectively in an online environment. My teaching experience was limited at that time, so I was learning to teach also. I took courses at Fresno State to aid me in the whole process, which turned out well. Before this teaching job, I had worked as a graphic designer/marketing associate in a corporate environment as well as freelance. With this crucial experience, I was offered various side jobs from the school to help with brand identity and marketing. I created the school's logo which is pictured above. I also helped create posters for identity at "The Big Hat Days" and Fresno State's "Vintage Days," which are 2 major events in the area. I also worked at the booth to help promote the school. Since we are a public charter school, tuition is free, so we need students to attend to get money from the State to fund the school.

I will continue to talk about my experiences at the school in the next few posts, so stay tuned!

Thing #20, Digital Storytelling

2009-08-05T11:27:00.000-07:00

I think Digita.l Storytelling is a great resource for education. I hadn't heard of it until COSOTI. Using photos and narration,a digital story can be told. I would like to create a story sometime in the future. Here's a few links to stories that I found at Story Center: Running, Untitled, I Think of You,
Home...in past tense and The Mountain. These stories can be used for a variety of subjects in education.

Thing #19, Audio/Video Tools

2009-08-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

I am no stranger to audio as I am a musician and I have experience recording. I've used N-track for years and it is pro quality recording software that is inexpensive. I am new to video and I want to learn more. I went to the Animoto site and found it to be very useful. Here's what I came up with pretty fast. I hope you enjoy!

Thing #18, Podcasts

2009-08-03T21:37:00.000-07:00

Finding a quality podcast can be a tedious process. I ran into many feeds that were outdated and were still listed. Some of the links didn't even have any posts at all. I did find a good one. It is called CNN Student News. The podcast contains world news specifically directed to middle and high school students. The posts are up-to-date and CNN is definitely a trusted source. This podcast can be used for a variety of subjects.

Thing #17, Online Videos

2009-08-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

Online videos are a great resource. They are usually included in most websites these days. I choose a video of photos from a photographer from a Clovis High football game. I was there on the sidelines as a coach. I liked the action shots and the photographer did a great job. I definitely want to explore more videos sites like Teacher Tube and see what they have to offer.

Thing # 16, Google Earth, Literature Stories

2009-07-28T14:45:00.000-07:00

I created this simple pyramid using Google "Sketch-Up." It took me a while to get a hang of using the program. I used just a few tools to create it. This picture could used as a destination picture for pyramids in Egypt, Mexico, etc on Google Earth. The Lit Trip I took was called "Fifteen Poets." The trip had the birthplace destinations of the poets and a history of them. This could be used for English, History, or Geography subjects.

Thing # 15, Online Collaboration Tools

2009-07-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

My recent experience with online collaboration tools was with Elluminate. It was at the last day of the COSOTI. My topic of presentation was RSS Feeds. I enjoyed using Elluminate and being able to talk to people present in the class and people following from a distance. I think Elluminate is a great tool to use in education to present a topic allowing for instant student feedback.

Thing #14, Online Resources

2009-07-27T09:37:00.000-07:00

Out of all of the online resources I explored, I liked Curriki the best. There's a Clovis Online School group that is growing. Here our a few links that have quality resources to be used for the classroom: Physical Activity, Practice Curriki Collection and What is Physical Education? These links can help educate students and give teachers additional resources that they may have not known about.

Thing #13, E-books

2009-07-20T15:23:00.000-07:00

I liked Wiki books. There were books on different subjects that are used in education and other topics. Under "Games and Athletics," there was a football book that explains how football works. It was very informative and a good book to recommend to a athlete interested in the sport.

Thing #12, Social Bookmarking

2009-07-18T17:54:00.000-07:00

It looks like Diigo and Delicious are great ways to organize online bookmarks and share them. This benefits both teachers and students to be better organized web browsers and they could find helpful bookmarks posted by other users. Also, there's a sense of contribution by submitting bookmarks to be public.

Thing #11, Gen Y

2009-07-18T16:40:00.000-07:00

Don Tapscott provides an "in your face" view of Gen Y. At first he seems negative about Gen Y, but then he ends positive. He was actually criticizing the critics who are scorning Gen Y. For more info, Go here.

Thing #10, Wikis

2009-07-10T12:06:00.000-07:00

I edited the "wikis" section on the curriculum connections wiki. I added that students could edit a wikipedia page of something they are interested in. This will give them a sense of contribution. Wikis look to be the wave of the online future. I am glad I am getting grasp on them now, so I can be a better informed teacher. If I were to create a wiki, it would be for the technology elective course for the Clovis Online School. It would be where students can connect about the subject and I (as the moderator) could add things here and there.

Thing #9, Web 2.0 and Social Networking

2009-07-07T15:41:00.001-07:00

As far as tools, I found a great site for downloading free documents. It is called "docstoc" and it offers a variety of documents that can be used in an educational setting. Users upload documents to share. As far as Nings, I joined Classroom 2.0. This a place where educators and teachers can share ideas for classroom education online.

Thing #8, Free Technology Tools Blog

2009-07-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

When I searched the The "Free Technology For Teachers" website for Physical Education, I came across a blog about an online quiz to see "what Olympic sport you are qualified for." I think this would be a fun quiz for PE students to take to lead them to a sport they might enjoy. Here's my result:

If I was a sports person i'd be a Weightlifter

Yours is an independent path. You like to keep it simple, and you don't have time for pretentious people. The driving rhythms of rock -- occasionally even metal -- fill your personal soundtrack. You don't have time to worry about the newest gadgets -- you're loyal to what's worked before.
Click here to find out what type of athlete you would be...

Thing #7, RSS Feeds and Blog Readers

2009-07-01T15:15:00.001-07:00

I learned so much this section! Now I know what a RSS feed is. I never really knew what it was. Now I will be able to sift through all the "junk" on the internet that gets in the way of what info I really want. This will be great for my students so they can get direct access to information.

Thing #6, Image Generators

2009-06-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

I used Comic Strip Generator to create this comic strip. The generator was easy to use and had a lot of images to choose from. I recommend it and it can be a lot of fun for students.

Thing #5, Flickr and Photo Sharing

2009-06-30T15:55:00.000-07:00

Flickr and other photo sharing sites can really help an online teacher provide quality photos to students with a simple click or upload. I have been using "Photobucket" for a long time now. I first started using it while I posted photos on social networking sites. I picked this photo because it has to do with Physical Education and that's my credential. I'm glad we don't have to go through this same training as these PE trainees!

Thing #4, Searching The Web

2009-06-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

The thing that I learned from web searches that is important to share with students is that there are many search engines and indexes on the internet. Just because one engine or index doesn't have what you are looking for, don't give up. Use other engines/indexes in your search until you find exactly what you are looking for. Also, be as specific as possible in your search which helps you get more accurate results.

Thing #3, iGoogle Suite

2009-06-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

The Google suite of tools can help me organize information by giving me a central hub from where I can read, process and create from. The Google suite of tools can be used for education by allowing a teacher to be a "coach" leading students through different topics through a "2-way" street of learning. The "paradigm flip" that the article suggests should occur in classroom and libraries where we don't just feed students information, but we adapt it and allow communication from them and adjust the information accordingly.

Thing #2, Create your blog and a little about micro-blogging (Twitter)

2009-06-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

I have learned that blogging and online education go hand in hand. This will allow students and teachers to post their thoughts on topics and allow the material to be viewable to whoever will benefit from it. The video about Twitter was definitely was simple, helpful and gave good background on the new fad. Tweet, Tweet!

Thing #1, About 23 Things

2009-06-25T15:07:00.000-07:00

It looks like I will be learning a lot about online education by going through the "23 Things" program. It is an exciting time and I can't wait to be apart of the Clovis Online School!
http://clovis23things.wordpress.com/2009/01/30/register/